Design & Technology

Staffing

The Design and Technology department presently consists of two main subject areas Design Technology and Food and Nutrition.

We have an experienced team of innovative and committed teachers and technicians including our award winning Head of D&T Ms Edna Reilly, pictured right.

Each subject area has a spacious, fully equipped purpose built room. These rooms are regularly updated in keeping with the introduction of new technologies.

At KS3 most group sizes are 24 pupils.

Courses

At KS3 students have a two period lesson per week in each area which operates in a carousel with Drama and Art. This forms the foundation of the subject where students experience several areas of the curriculum leading to GCSE. Students follow the AQA examination in both subject areas.
We have a history of very successful examination results and pupils often achieve one or two grades higher than their target grade. Pupil progress is monitored closely and effective early intervention strategies are used where student achievement is falling below expectations.

Resources

The department is well stocked with computers and laptops at GCSE where CAD/CAM is taught. We frequently invest in new technologies and materials. The pupils experience a wide variety of materials and processes at each level. We encourage the use of digital media to record pupil’s work and progress and we have a range of photographic equipment.

Pupils are sometimes required to work in groups and present their work using the interactive whiteboard to be judged by a panel of judges. The 3D printer is used to assist with prototyping.

All students use their e-mail accounts and access the Internet for research and analysis purposes. The use of our VLE is growing rapidly. We frequently Tweet and Skype specialists in industry to access current information for new projects as we have several links with sponsors from industry.

Design and Technology is a subject that needs to step outside the classroom and link directly with the real world environment if it is to appear relevant to our pupils. It is fundamental to several areas such as Engineering, Architecture, Science and medicine where technical skills and expertise are as important as academic achievement. Our pupils attend trips and competitions linked with STEMETTES. (STEM careers specifically aimed at girls). Pupils attend extra curricula activities after school and at lunchtime including work in the STEM subjects. These projects frequently develop from sustainable projects run by ‘Practical Action’. Pupils can achieve the Bronze, Silver and Gold CREST awards in STEM.

Our pupils have been very successful and have reached the National finals at ‘The Big Bang’ Science and technology exhibition in Birmingham and at the Excel In London where they have achieved prizes for innovation from Shell and other major sponsoring companies. The Grow Wild team have visited and presented their work in parliament and to Princess Anne.

Our department encourages an awareness of sustainable issues in our local area and as a consequence we have links with the lottery funded Kew gardens project. We have developed the “Grow wild project” where pupils are learning about the engineering and importance of ‘Green’ rooftops in sustaining the environment in urban areas.

In Food & Nutrition we actively encourage our girls to develop a healthy lifestyle. Pupils take part in outside events such as the Rotary competition where our pupils have won top prizes for their originality and skills. We had a school “bake off” where a celebrity chef visited and demonstrated his culinary skills. We emphasise that the study of Food &Nutrition as a Science which is a vital part of many professions including the study of Dietary needs/Medicine and nutrition.